New Ways, Old Friends
by ScotchandDry
Summary: He never thought something as simple as crossing a street could change his life forever. Steve is hit by a car and sustains a spinal cord injury. He now needs Danny, Kono, Chin and Catherine more than ever. Its a long road to healing and learning to live again. Will Steve be able to find a new kind of normal as a wheelchair user?
1. The Crash

It had been a great morning. Steve had forced Danny and Grace to meet him at his favourite surfing cove around 6.30am so that they could enjoy some uninterrupted wave time before the weekend tourist crowd arrived. They had spent about 2 hours in the water, taking turns to surf some of the smaller breakers and taking Grace on their boards for a ride into shore. By 8.30 the beach was filling with families and the waves were getting crowded with mainlanders eagerly clamouring over each other. Pretending they knew what they were doing with their awkward soft rental boards. Steve wasn't going to risk Grace's safety if any of these bankers or dentists lost control of their boards and smacked into them. He had seen some pretty nasty accidents happen that way. Steve swooped grace up onto his nice long Malibu and surfed a final long wave in to the shore. Grace giggled and showed off, performing a hang 10 on the big sturdy board, her arms outstretch for balance. She turned to look at Steve, pure happiness across her face. Danny followed them in, albeit not quite as gracefully, but grinning all the same. It was so good to see his little Monkey so happy.

The three strode across the warm sand, passing families in their sun tents and groups of girls all lying around tanning. Danny instinctively ran his hands through his hair, smoothing it back into its normal style. Steve looked over at his preening and just laughed. "Don't worry Danno you look super hot". Danny pretend he wasn't listening, the girls looked up from their magazines smiling at the two shirtless men, and whispering between each other.

They headed for a little picnic table between the car park and the start of the beach. It was quiet, and shaded. The perfect spot to enjoy some breakfast after an active morning in the water. Steve stowed the boards in his truck and Danny grabbed some towels out of the boot of his car, wrapping Grace in her Pink Roxy towel.

"Looks like you are going to need more than one towel to dry off that man pelt of yours Danny" Steve joked.

"Oh, real funny babe, its called manliness, we don't all feel the need to shave our pretty chests" Danny retorted, rubbing his chest hair dry with his beach towel.

"For your information I don't shave" Steve spread his arms wide, flexing his upper body, "it is not my fault I was just born streamline". Grace giggled at her father and his best friend teasing each other.

"Anyway" Steve stated, slipping on his sunglasses, "I am going to get us, some breakfast. Let me see" he paused "three loco mocos, two coffees and a berry smoothie?".

" Sounds good to me" Danny replied. Grace nodded excitedly.

Steve grabbed his walled from the front seat of his truck and headed for the little beach side cafe across the road.

Steve had stepped off the curb and was almost half way across the road to the cafe, when he heard the sound of an engine roaring. An old Toyota Corolla came flying around the entrance to the beach cove. Steve instinctually turned towards it. He was about to leap away, his leg muscles crouching for the spring, when the car made impact. All Steve felt was an incredible force lifting him up and over the car, then the impact of his head and back onto the road. There was a crack and he felt his body bounce against the hard road. Everything went black as he lost consciousness.

It had happened in the blink of an eye. The car drove off and Steve was left, lying motionless, face down, crumpled on the small beach road.

Danny had turned back to look at Grace who was tying a turban with her towel. He heard the car too. Turning swiftly he watched as the white car made impact with Steve's long was tossed up onto the bonnet and then over the back of the vehicle, his body colliding hard road with a crunch that could only mean broken bones. Grace screamed. Danny instantly jumped up, his legs carrying him at incredible speeds to his partners body. He looked up, searching for the Corolla, but it was gone. Other people came rushing over, crowding around Steve's body.

"Someone call an Ambulance!" Steve yelled, "tell them a 5-0 officer has been injured". He could almost not bare to check, but delicately he placed two finger on his friend's neck. Thank-god there was a pulse, it was weak, but Steve was alive. He bent down, placing his cheek next to Steve's his face, most of it was down against the ground, only a quarter visible. Danny placed his cheek next to the sliver of Steve's mouth, feeling for breath. He could feel none.

Danny looked up, eyes wide with panic, there was an elderly woman peering over him.

"Please, can you help me, take my daughter into the cafe. She is the one at the table there, I can't have her seeing this". The lady nodded, she calmly walked over the table the get Grace who was staring at what had just happened, shocked.

"No one move him! No one touch him!" Danny screamed at the crowd. "Where is the ambulance!"

Almost as he said that, two ambulances came screaming up to the scene. The crowd moved away letting the EMT's through.

"He is not breathing! He was hit by a car at high speed, he landed on his head and back" Danny was on the verge of tears.

One EMT gently slipped in front of Danny, also feeling for a breath. "He needs air!" she screamed. The second paramedic ran in with a oxygen bag and breathing tube, placing it into the SEAL's open mouth and down his throat. She then began manually squeezing the bag, forcing air into Steve's lungs. The final two with a red plastic back board and long neck brace. Together they managed to quickly clip on the brace and then roll him carefully and slowly onto one side, slipping the back brace underneath and positioning him onto it, locking him into place with straps over his legs, chest, arms, chin and forehead.

Grace must have seen what was going on outside. Breaking free of the older woman she came running out of the cafe and into her father's arms, tears streaming down her face, and hiccuping, as her body tried to breath through the sobs. Danny picked her up, pulling her into a tight embrace, then ran towards the ambulance.

Danny climbed into the ambulance with Grace still in his arms. Sitting over Steve's body while the female EMT continued to feed him oxygen.

Only as the ambulance restarted, and ran its sirens did Danny really take stock of where he was or what was happening. His heart was pounding out of his chest and he could smell a mix of his own adrenaline and the coppery smell of Steve's blood. He looked down at his best friend, locked in a neck collar and back board, being fed oxygen, his vital sign low and erratic. All he could so was hold his sobbing daughter closer and pray as the ambulance hurtled towards the hospital.


	2. Saving His Life

Danny didn't remember much of what happened when they arrive at the ER ambulance dock. The door were thrown open as doctors and nurses came running. There was about six people on Steve, all running with the stretcher towards the ER yelling his vitals and calling ahead for assistance. It was all blur of light and colours, faces and noises. There were questions about what had happened, if Steve had any allergies, medical history. Danny supposed he had answered them, but to be honest he just couldn't remember.

They pushed the gurney through the large white doors of the ER, Danny tried to follow, but a male nurse blocked his way.

"Sir, it is better if you and your daughter just wait here" he said, his large hand outstretched barring any further movement to the door. "We are all working to save your friend, there is nothing right now you can do for him. Please just wait".

Danny gave the man a furious look. He was right, there was nothing he could do, but he still didn't want to leave his partner. But he didn't want Grace to see Steve like his. Danny swallowed hard, he couldn't bare it Steve he died while she watched.

With that sobering thought, time began to return to its normal pace. He looked around. Danny realised he was standing in the middle of the Ambulance doc, bare foot still in his damp board short with Grace,l wrapped in her towel. Maybe he was in shock, maybe it was the Adeline, but let out a short pained laugh at the strange situation.

"Whats wrong Danno?" Graces little voice asked. Shit. He really needed to call Rachel, this was no place for his daughter to be. Shit he really needed to call the rest of the team.

"I'm okay Monkey" he planted a soft kiss on her forehead, "everything is going to be okay". He tried to sound like he believed it.

Sitting Grace down on a plastic hospital chair, he ripped open the velcro of his board-short pocket and dug his hand in for his phone. Hands still bloody and shaking he called Rachel. If she wasn't no 2 on speed dial he probably wouldn't have managed it.

The call rang a few times until Rachel pickup.

"Hi Daniel, you forgot Grace's sun top"

"What?", her question had caught Danny by surprise, "listen Rachel, I am at Queen's Hospital ER, I need you to come get Grace"

"Danny! Whats happened? Is Grace alright?" Her voice was not panicked.

"Yes she is fine, its Steve" Danny felt a shaking in through his chest and a lump rise up his throat "he was hit by a car"

"Oh Jesus! Is he going to be okay?" she sounded genuinely concerned.

"I don't know Rach, its pretty serious, please, just come get Grace". Danny couldn't talk any longer, the lump had risen into his voice and was forcing his lips to tremble. He didn't mean to hang up on his ex but, he didn't want to cry in front of his daughter either.

As he shoved the phone back into his pocket he heard people running down the corridor. Chin and Kono were sprinting towards him.

"Danny! Are you okay? Where is Steve? What happened? We got a call from the EMT station to say they picked up a 5-0 officer" Kono was scanning Danny's face for a answer.

"He was hit by a car out the front of the beach cafe this morning" Danny looked over to the ER door and drawing in a breath, "they are working on him now, he wasn't breathing, its not good".

"Fuck" the word quietly escaped Chin's lips.

Danny looked at his colleges "Rachel is coming to get Grace, I haven't heard any news since they brought him in".

"Okay, okay. Alright alright" tears were filling Kono's eyes as she started to run her hands through her hair, "who can we talk to find out?".

"I don't know, I really just don't know" Danny was getting close to tears, as Kono pulled him in for a hug "we just have to wait".

"I will take Grace out the front" Chin offered, " I am sure her mom isn't far off". Danny was grateful to Chin. His daughter didn't need to be around for whatever was coming next.

Normally she would plead to stay, but the little girl was in such shock that she just walked over to her father and delicately wrapped her little arms around his next and whispered "tell Uncle Steve I love him".

Danny couldn't reply, there were tears welling in his eye. He hugged his daughter tight and nodded before Chin led her down the hall to the entrance.

He slumped into a vacant chair and stared up at the ceiling. Fighting tears . "Please don't die Steve, you are tough, you have to hang in there buddy" he quietly prayed.

The three officers waited outside in the empty ambulance entrance to the ER. No one spoke, no one dared to speak. Quite prayers of hope and strength flew through their heads.


	3. The Prognosis

They had been there about an hour, maybe two when the doors to the ER opened again. In unison, their three heads turned to look at the man walking out of the ER. He was wearing scrubs with a bright yellow plastic apron over the top. TRAUMA, was written across his chest. "McGarrett?" he called out. Danny, Kono and Chin rushed over to him. He looked at the three of them, "you need to follow me" then he turned and walked down the hall.

Finally, Danny thought, they would be taken to see Steve. That must mean he is okay. But Danny suddenly realised that there were being led away from the noise of the ER, there was a cold feeling spreading from his chest across his body. Where were they going? The doctor opened the door to a small lounge room painted in pastel colours. Oh shit, Danny started to panic, waves of nausea flowed over him. This is that room that they tell people the really bad news. The family room. Oh God! He thought his was going to throw up. He looked around for a bin just incase. Why did is all have to be fucking pastel.

The doctor directed them to the overstuffed couch that was against the back wall. With a deep sigh he sat down in the armchair facing them, leaning forward with his forearms on his knees, hand clasped together, a sad look in his eyes. All three of them knew that face, bad news was certainly coming.

"Commander McGarrett is alive" the doctor started. Danny let out a big breath of air which he realised he must have been holding in since he sat down. "However his injuries are extensive" the doctor continued. "We have been able to stabilise him enough to conduct a full physical examination, take some CT and MRI images. He has just com out of theatre".

Again the doctor breathed out, looking up at the three on the sofa, " its not good".

Danny could feel his hear beating out of his chest as he trying to fight off the bile rising in his throat.

"From a preliminary CT he has a linear skull fracture around the back and right temporal side of his skull. There appears to be no inter-cranial haemorrhaging or cerebral oedemas, which is a really good sign". The doctor smiled weakly at the group. "There is however some brain swelling, which is to be expected. There may also be some temporary frontal lobe damage as his brain would have been thrown forwards and then back in his skull as he hit the ground". The image of Steve lying on the road flashed back into Danny's mind, his breathing quicken. "We will know more when he wakes up".

"When he wakes up?" Kono's voice sounded small and faint.

"He has just come out of surgery, we have immediately placing him in a medically induced coma so that his brain can heal and prevent any further damage. Also, as the EMTs were able to provided assisted breathing to him shortly after the accident, the short amount of oxygen loss has not caused any serious damage. I really don't expect any of his neurological injuries to be permanent". Kono nodded, she started to relax.

"Now, here is the really bad news". The doctor looked up at Danny who could feel a panic attack coming on, his airways constricting and a cold sweat beginning across his neck.

"Due to the way Commander McGarret hit the ground, we expected as soon as he came in that there could be spinal injuries. The MRI we were able to do confirmed that there has been damage to his spine and spinal cord".

Danny looked at Chin, he was staring straight at the doctor, face blank, but his hands, which were clasped together, were shaking violently.

"He has an unstable dislocation at his T8 and 9 vertebrae. The fracture compressed and fractured his spinal cord at the same level. He has just come out of surgery where we where able to stabilise the fracture, but really, an injury like this isn't likely to heal".

The room was shrinking for Danny, it was getting harder to breath and the beat of his heart was starting to drown out the doctor's words.

"We have had to inserted a breathing trach, but I expect that when he wakes up he should have no problem breathing independently." Danny could hardly listen to the doctor, he didn't know how long he could stay on the couch before he either fainted, vomited or punched someone.

"Of course we will have to do further physical testing when he wakes up. His injury level is in his lower thoracic spine around the abdomen. I expect that he will regain most movement, function and sensation above this area. But really, we just have to wait for him to wake up and for the healing process to run its course."

"What about below the injury level?" Chin asked, with a hesitation in his voice that suggested that he already knew the answer. The doctor looked at Chin and shook his head slowly.

"It is a complete injury to the spinal cord, I don't think we can expect much. I am just trying to be frank with you, you need to prepare yourselves for a very long recovery process. Commander McGarrett is going to need a lot of support and assistance".

The doctor looked at Danny, "I know this is horrible to hear, believe me I don't want to have to tell you, but, umm, you need to start dealing with it so that you can be there for your friend when he wakes up".

Danny couldn't sit on the couch any longer, he needed to get air, he needed to get out of that fucking pastel room. Nothing was processing properly in his head. He understood what the Doctor was telling him, but all seemed fake, it couldn't be happening. Not to Steve, not to his best friend.

He sprung off the couch, nearly head butting the Doctor and rushed for the door. Oh god, he was going to vomit. He ran out of the ambulance dock towards some small bushes, throwing up violently into them. His body heaving with the force. When it was over, he stood up, suddenly feeling completely calm. He spat into the bushes and then turned back to the Ambulance dock where Chin and Kono where waiting, anxiously staring at him.

"Maybe you should go home. Have a shower and put some clothes on." Chin suggested. "Kono will stay here. I will drop you back to your place and then head back to HQ and arrange for both your cars to be picked up and brought over to HPD for storage" He placed a hand on Danny's bare shoulder. "Then tomorrow we can track down the car that hit him".

Danny hadn't even thought of the driver, all his thoughts has been fixed on Steve.

"Okay" Danny was still feeling errirly calm, almost like he was floating. "Lets go".

Chin led Danny over to Kono's car which was parked in the police bay near by. Danny still felt like he was floating, there was almost no sound, everything around him was blurred. They drove to Danny's building in silence, Chin anxiously looking over at Danny, but Danny didn't notice, his mind was blank.

Automatically he got out at the entrance, muttered what was probably a thank-you to Chin and then wandered inside.

Chin watched him until he saw the door to the apartment close, wondering if he was right to leave Danny alone.


	4. Realisations and the Morning After

Danny was numb, he unlocked the front door of his ground floor apartment and let his legs carry him inside, the door clicking closed behind him. He looked down. He was bare foot, still dressed only in his board shorts. How long had he been wearing them? All day? He needed a shower. He reeked of salt, sweat, adrenaline and blood. Steve's blood. He shook his head, trying not to let the images from that morning swarm back into his mind.

He threw his keys on the kitchen bench and wandered off to the bathroom. Danny let the shower run before getting in. A habit he had developed from the old New Jersey pipes which blasted iced water for a good ten minutes in the winter. Placing his hands on either side of the sink he looked at his reflection in the mirror. He looked fucking haggard.

Danny stepped into the shower and let the stream of hot water run over his head and down his back. The images of the accident rushed in front of his eyes, he had let his guard down, there was no pushing them away. They kept pouring in, Steve's body being tossed into the air, that terrible crunching noise as it made impact, his best friend lying crumpled unconscious on the road, the EMTs, the neck collar, the back brace, looking down at Steve from the ambulance, white doors closing, the pastel room, TRAMA large across the doctor's chest. Danny closes his eyes, the images only became more vivid. He was hyperventilating, he could feel his chest rapidly expanding and compressing. Oh God! Oh God! His rapid breathing turned into tears which quickly evolved into loud audible sobs, wracking though this body. There was no control, they came rising up from his gut and belting out of his mouth, bouncing off the white tiles in front of him. Tears and snot dripped down his nose splashing onto the shower floor. Danny just let it happen. Standing there arms up against the wall, head down. He was hardly present to what his body was doing. Replays of the accident, of Steve twisted around his head.

After about ten minutes his body began to calm, his breathing slowed to a normal pace and his mind switched back on. He dragged his fingers through his blond hair, pulling it away from his face. A semblance of calm returned. Swiftly he turned off the shower, grabbed the towel which was hanging on the outside of the door and dried him self off. Finally he felt clean, no sweat, no adrenaline and no blood. Stepping out of the bathroom, he was shaking slightly from what had just taken place. He heading for his bedroom. He was completely burnt out, it was only 9.00 but he just had to sleep. Turning on the TV and he pulling on a pair of boxers, as soon as his head hit the pillow he was out for the count.

"Steve!" Danny yelled out in his sleep, his dreams wakening him up. He sat up with a start and checked his surrounding it was 4.00am. His bright blue eyes darted around the still dim room. Memories of yesterday tangled between dreams. It didn't seem real. How could it be real? Danny realised he had just left the hospital, after he threw up, not even gone to see his best friend. He had just let Chin take him home. The only news he had received was through the ER doctor.

"He has an unstable dislocation at his T8 and 9 vertebrae...it is a complete injury to the spinal cord...an injury like this isn't likely to heal".

He had to go and see Steve. He had to go now. Chin had picked up his car from the beach cove and taken it to HPD. It was too early to call anyone. Danny sighed rubbing his face. He would have to get a cab.

Fifteen minutes later Danny was sitting in the back of a cab, head resting against the window as he watch light break over Honolulu. He was embarrassed and a little ashamed at himself after last night's breakdown. It didn't matter that no one saw, he thought he was stronger than that, apparently not. He hasn't lost it like that since Rachel told him that she was leaving him and taking Grace. But that time there was a lot more rage involved.

The cab made a right up the drive into Queen's Hospital. "No more of that" he whispered to himself. This was about Steve, his partner, his brother. He would have to be there for him.

Paying the driver and he walked into the main hospital foyer approaching the information desk. The woman behind it was in her late 50, grey curly hair pulled up on the top of her head with a pen, her large round glasses on a cord around her neck. Danny cleared his throat to get her attention. " I'm Detective Danny Williams, here to see my partner Commander Steve McGarrett". He tried to sound professional, but truthfully he was scared irrespective of the taxicab pep talk.

"Yes Detective, let me just check the system" she put on her glasses and then looked down to type something into the computer. His stats must have come up on the screen, because as she read Danny could see as a hint of sadness crossed her face. "He is in the ICU, you will need to go straight ahead, just ask one of the nurses when you get there. He has been Patient One all night, they will all know where he is". She gave him a weak and sorrow filled smile, her eyes crinkling in the corners. "Normal visiting hours are between 9 and12 and then from 3 to 10, but in your case its fine, you just go straight ahead". She gestured to the hallway behind her. Danny thanked the woman, his nerves building with every step towards the entrance to the ICU.

When he entered, he could see the nurses' station on the left. Directly in front of it, there was a glass walled room, filled with medical machinery; he could see the array of lights flashing through the dark. A sign on partially opened door read "CDR MCGARRETT - 1(ONE) SCI TBI " Danny didn't need directions. Taking two long breaths he walked inside.


	5. The Morning After pt2

Author's note: I just wanted to thank you all for your reviews. I haven't had the chance to write back to anyone individually yet. As this is my first fanfic I wasn't sure of the procedure. It is so nice to keep getting little messages and know that you area all enjoying the story. It is not an easy one to write. I have wanted to be true to the situation as well as to the character. All to often spinal cord injuries are either trivialised or melodramatically represented. I wanted to give a more realistic depiction of what it is like for all the people involved. I promise Steve will be waking up soon. I have been writing every evening so the next chapter isn't far off. Please keep the reviews coming. I welcome any and all comments and suggestions.

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"Oh babe". The words had slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them.

He scanned the body that lay in front of him. His face was battered and there was deep bruising and grazing along the right side. Small, round electrode pads where place over the top corners of his forehead and on his temples. He still looked like Steve, with his strong straight nose and dark eyebrows that pointed into apexes at the top. Maybe more like post North Korea Steve. Two large white rectangular bandages covered his right temple and cheekbone. His eyes were closed. His lips were slightly parted revealing part of his front teeth; Danny could see flecks of blood across them. On his left side, there was a thin yellowish tube taped to his cheek that extended into his nose. A feeding tube, Danny through grimly. It all seemed so wrong.

Swallowing hard, Danny allowed his gaze to travel down to the large white neck brace his partner was locked in. He wasn't wearing a gown and Danny could see that collar extended right down past his rib cage where it was then met by a soft light blue blanket covering him from the hips down. A thick clear tube snaked into a large triangular opening around the top of the collar near his throat. Danny's eyes grew wide as he saw the plug for the tube going directly into Steve's flesh, just below his Adam's Apple. The doctor had mentioned that they had to intubate. "He can't breath on his own". The thought felt like a cold hand was grabbing at Danny's chest. He could hear a machine next to him rhythmically hissing each time it fed new air directly into is partner's lungs.

There were lines, tubes and wires extending from his body into six different machines. Danny recognised some; there was an EEG, blood pressure monitor and hear rate monitor. He hated to think what the others might be. But for now he was grateful for them, they were keeping this solider alive.

Standing there, it struck Danny, that the position of the bed, with the back gently raised to a 30' angle and Steve's knees slightly bent, he could just be resting. That's what he was going to tell himself. His partner was resting, he would wake up and everything would be fine. He had to lie to himself just to not fall apart.

Danny grabbed the chair that was placed in the corner of the glass room and brought it to Steve's bedside. Steve's large tanned strong hands were resting on top of the blue blanket, IV lines snaking from both. Danny wanted to grab his hand but was afraid to touch him, less he caused any further damage or pain. He just looked so fragile.

Crossing his forearms over the bed rails and he gazed at his partners sleeping face. "I'm here brother," he said softly. He could feel his mental barricades falling away and his emotions taking over. Danny stared up at the white ceiling trying to recompose. "I'm not going anywhere, none of us are".

Danny sat next to the hospital bed for the next two hours. Over the beeps and hissing of the machines he could hear the sounds of the ICU waking up. At some point he heard a code red then a flat line, but he wasn't taking his eyes away from his partners face. He knew the nurses at their station directly behind him must be staring, but he didn't mind. The nurses came in occasionally, inspecting the machines, noting down different things. Danny didn't feel like acknowledging them, respectfully they left him alone.

Around 7.30am a high-pitched beeping noise pulled Danny from of his dreaming. One of the machines near him was flashing and beeping loudly. He jumped up with a fright. Something must be wrong. He looked down at Steve, but nothing had changed. There had to be something wrong, he thought again. He ran outside to the nurse's station. "There is a machine beeping, something is not right!" he felt panicked "you need to come look".

A youngish blond nurse followed him back into the room. She seemed too calm for something serious to have happened. "It is fine" she gave him a reassuring smile "it just means that we need to change his IV bag", she hit a few buttons and the beeping stopped.

"Oh, okay" Danny cleared his throat and swept back his hair feeling stupid for making so much fuss.

"It won't take long. We also need to check and attend to a few other things for Commander McGarrett. Maybe you could go and get some breakfast", she suggested. "The cafe in the lobby should be open, maybe a cup of coffee?"

Danny nodded, still embarrassed, and left the room. As he was leaving, another nurse walked into the room, she pulled a salmon coloured curtain round the glass room to provide the patient some privacy while they both tended to him.

The suggestion of coffee did sound pretty good. His stomach growled. Danny realised that he hadn't had anything to eat since before Steve, Grace and he all went surfing yesterday morning. Anything that was previously in his stomach before then was lost when he had thrown up in the bushes behind the Ambulance dock. He was semi-confident that today he would be able to keep food down. He headed for the cafe.

At 10.30am Chin and Kono arrived for their meeting with Steve's medical team. Kono had let out a little gasp when she had entered the ICU. Her bottom lip was trembling as she came walking into Steve's glass room, here eyes darting rapidly from one piece of equipment to the next and then back to Steve. Her arms were protectively wrapped around her sides, clutching the fabric of her light jersey sweater. Her cousin walked in after her. It was very clear to Danny that he was trying to keep a normal expression, however the bones visibly pulsating on either side of his lower jaw from his clenched teeth suggested otherwise.

The three of them stood around their college's bed, looking at each other and then back to Steve. Before any of them spoke a short man in his late fifties dressed in a short sleeve button up shirt strode into the room.

"Hello" he addressed them, shaking each of their hands in turn. "I am Dr Lucas, I am the head of Commander Mc Garrett's trauma care team". His voice was soft but commanding, "we are all assembled in meeting room 5 for the initial briefing and planning". He looked up at the three officers; "it would be good if you could join us, that way we can fill you in further on his situation and our next steps". He looked down at Steve with a similar sadness that all the nurses seemed to display. They were medical professionals; they saw severe, permanent injuries everyday. Somehow it didn't make it easier to see such a fit strong man suddenly be rendered helpless. After all, they had also seen the very long and painful recovery period their patients faced.

The team followed Dr Lucas out of the room for the briefing.

Some hours later Danny was back at Steve's bedside. The medical briefing has consisted of each member of the trauma team introducing themselves and then provided a brief outline of their initial diagnosis. At the end of the meeting Danny, China and Kono thanked them. They would meet again with medical team early next week. It was good to know that there were so many really smart committed people working hard to keep his brother alive. But it didn't Danny from feeling useless.

Danny rubbed his face, thinking back to the meeting. Towards the end his patience had really started to wear thin. He didn't know what he would do if another doctor had repeated the phase "it is just to early to tell" or "recovery journey" one more time.

Dr Lucas, it turned out, was Steve's chief neurologist. The team comprised of five other specialists: the trauma doctor who Danny had met and nearly head butted yesterday, Steve's neurosurgeon, another specialist neurologist who was managing his brain injuries, a respiratory specialist and, Danny let out a big breath just thinking about it, the trauma therapist

The specialist neurologist was a well-dressed woman, probably in her mid fifties; her hair was cut short and was starting to grey. She spoke quietly but definitely in a way was reassuring, even if none of them quite understood what she was talking about. She had told them that the medicated coma was to reduce the amount of energy different areas of Steve's brain needed. She explained it in a way, which was mildly comprehensible to Danny. "If we can reduce the energy to the damaged frontal lobe areas then, as the brain heals and the swelling goes down, those areas at risk in his frontal lobe can be protected". She continued to explain the nature of the medical coma, which was akin to a general anaesthetic or how the brain reacts to hypothermia. She had assured them that her neuro team were making every effort to only keep Steve under as long as his brain needed. "Does he know what is going on?" Kono had asked "I mean, if we talk to him can he hear it?" "We don't think so" the doctor replied flatly. "However, some patients recounted vivid dreams, others nothing at all, it really is a case by case basis. Brains are very unpredictable in that way. I advise you all to simply assume that the patient can hear you. Therefore be careful with what you say within earshot." She had looked back at Kono, "the same goes for when he begins to wake up too". Reflecting on her statement Steve gently patted his partners forearm "we are all here babe, no one is going anywhere" trying to sound reassuring.

The Dr Lucas, the first neurologist spoke next. As far as Danny could tell, it wasn't much different from what the ER trauma doctor had told them yesterday. However this time Danny was able to deal with the information much better. That didn't mean that when he had described Steve's "lower thoracic complete spinal injury" or his potentially very low "motor index score" it didn't cause Danny to flinch. He really should get Chin or Kono to bring in a laptop so he could get a better grasp on all the terms and meanings. He still didn't quite understand where the T9 vertebrae was. If he didn't understand it then there was no way that he was going to be able to explain it to Grace.

The thought of having to tell her that her Super Hero was broken made him feel weak and cold. He hadn't spoken to her since Rachel came to pick her up. Telling his daughter would just be all too real for him right now. But he knew he would have to. He would go over to Rachel and Stan's house tonight.

The respiratory specialist and the neurosurgeon were brief. The respiratory specialist followed on from Dr Lucas' discussion about muscle function explaining that with Steve's injury level he would have basically normal lung capacity. The reason that he needed respiratory assistance at the moment was due to trauma based swelling in his spinal cord called spinal shock, which was affecting other functions above his injury level. He assured the team that he would be able to remove the trach in the next 72 hours or so. Danny looked over at the pipe pushing air into Steve's throat. It was grotesque. He could see his partners chest rising and falling in time with the hissing of air the machine pumped into him. There was a faint whistling noise coming from where the plug met his flesh, it make Danny's stomach turn. He subconsciously rubbed his own throat; hopefully it would be out before Grace visited. One small mercy at least.

The surgeon had summarised the three-hour stabilisation procedure, which he had performed yesterday. Although by that point in the meeting Danny had stopped listening again. The idea of a frame to hold his dislocated vertebrae back in place made sense enough, but as far as Danny was concerned it was just technical talk. "Sure some would be impressed, but really its just a bit of welding and carpentry" he muttered to himself. "Sorry babe, I didn't mean it wasn't important, you know, I am just no into this kind of stuff" again he patted Steve on the arm gently. It didn't change the facts that one of the strongest me he knew was not going to be able to live the same life he previously had. No. He wasn't going to continue to torture himself. Danny pushed the thought out of his mind and took some deep breaths. That reminded him, the trauma therapist.

He was a youngish man, late 30's at the most, with floppy brown curly hair and very thick eyebrows. He was wearing a cardigan and converse trainers, typical. The whole time the man spoke Danny felt uneasy. The logical side of him knew what he was saying was true, but the emotional side of him was finding it a little hard to acknowledge right at that point. "You need to look after your self" he said directly staring at the Jersey Cop. "You will be no good to your friend if you completely burn yourself out in the first few weeks. It really is a marathon, sprinting isn't going to help anybody." He then turned to Chin and Kono, "you all need to make sure that you are getting adequate rest in between visits. It is going to be emotionally and physically draining." He looked back to Danny. "This will only increase when your friend wakes up and starts rehabilitating". These were two things that Danny did not want to thing about.

Shortly after the meeting Kono had left to get the defence force insurance started and organise a transfer to Triplers for the rehab. Two things Danny hadn't even thought about. Chin had stayed for a little while. They both had lunch at the cafeteria while the nurses tended to Steve again. Chin had since gone back to HQ to chase down witness statements from anyone who was at the beach cove yesterday morning. His demeanour was strong, confident and caring. He didn't ask how Danny was or how he felt was he just gave him a pat on the back before he left. Danny really appreciated Chin not asking him to join him for any of the police work, he knew there was absolutely no way he could remain professional and objective. After all, he too was a witness. Chin had promised to return around late afternoon with Danny's car and trade shifts watching Steve. Looking at his watch he realised it was already 5. Danny promised himself that as soon as Chin returned he would go see Grace.


	6. Breaking It To Grace

It was Friday. A whole five days has passed since that morning, since Steve got hit. For Danny they were five days that felt like they belonged to someone else. He, Chin and Kono had maintained a round the clock presence by their comrades bedside. They were now starting to get in sync with the routine of the ICU. Knowing when the nurses would need to attend to Steve, when the Doctors were on rounds and when the free coffee machine had just been refilled. Contrary to the trauma psychologists advice, they were running themselves out. But no one was about to admit it, nor drop the ball for the rest of the team. They were all desperate for Steve to wake up, but simultaneously dreading it. Right now was like limbo, but when he woke up everything would change. They were in slow motion, things were about to rapidly speed up.

Danny had spent as much time as the others would let him sitting in the horrible hospital armchair at Steve's bedside keeping watch over his brother in arms and catching up on paper work on his laptop. I may have seemed strange but he had to be doing something, to somehow be productive. He had also been reading up on what to expect, what Steve's injury really meant. The trauma psychologists a has warned him to be wary of random internet searching of stuff related to SCI. He had been trying to stick to reputable sites, he had to be informed, to be prepared for what was coming. It still didn't seem real, he would glance at his partner, strong, powerful but locked into that neck and back brace, feeding tube taped to his cheek, it still didn't seem like his fate. Maybe he would wake up and it would all be fine. But Danny knew that was a lie. They were his Ohana and what ever happened when Steve woke up, they were going to be there for him.

H50H50H50

Kono had made the call to Catherine on Tuesday. She had waited until after the Trauma team meeting. Some part of her was waiting for this all to be a bad joke or misdiagnosis. However, by late Tuesday when she rang through to the Destroyer Catherine was deployed on, it was all becoming horribly real. Catherine wouldn't be able to come back to Hawaii until after the weekend as they were on active deployment carrying out a key maneuver and couldn't leave the ship. Obviously she couldn't say much, but Kono knew that she would me making every effort to get back to the man she cared so deeply about. She had sounded just how Kono felt, shocked. Like she had just taken a big hit to the chest, unable to breath either in or out. Her answers were short "yes","no", "okay", "I understand". She had clearly been holding back tears; as was Kono. When she had walked back into Steve's room after the call she rubbed his un-bruised arm, brushing away tears. "Cath is coming home, she will be here soon" she hoped he could here her.

H50H50H50

The only time that Steve had been left alone was during the team's meeting with the Governor which took place late on Wednesday afternoon. It was a short meeting. They all awkwardly sat on the assorted couches and chairs in his office, not really knowing what to do or say. Luckily, the Governor was already aware of Steve's condition and had been closely following his case. He had assured the team that any resources that the state could provide would be available to CDR McGarrett when he woke up and began his long stretch at Tripler's for rehab. They would discuss his role with the 5-0 task force at a later date when Steve was able to be present. They were to continue with all still current cases, but their work load was to be reduced to cover only matters that were critical and that their skills where essential for. HPD was just going to have to pick up the rest of their slack. At the end of the meeting Chin, Kono and Danny stood an shook the Governor's hand before departing. There was a new sadness in the man's eyes that none of them had seen before. For Kono it was simultaneously comforting and unnerving. If other people shared her private worry and anxiety about Steve's future, then it made the situation even more true.

H50H50H50H50

Later that evening, back at Queens, Chin got a call from the Police Chief. They had tracked down the driver. It was just some local kid from the North Shore, methed up to the eyeballs. Normally so composed, Chin found himself fighting against his rawer instincts not to have the arresting officers bring the driver into 5-0 HQ so he could drag the him down to Queens ICU and show him what he did. That reckless actions on that day had irreparably damaged one of the greatest men to serve the State of Hawaii.

He was able to silence the screams of protest from inside his head. On the phone to HPD from outside Steve's hospital room he showed little emotion. Clenching his jaw, he drew a deep breath through his nose and exhaled firmly before replying. "No, its fine, you guys handle it".

He stared back through the glass the his motionless college. It hurt, but it was better this way. It was not their job to dish out tailor made justice. People get hurt, sometimes its the ones you love, but he was firm in his believe in the law. After all its the laws that hold this whole crazy island together.

H50H50H50H

During the past week, Grace had been forced to go to school. Danny and Rachel had both decided that routine would be the best possible thing for her. Danny really didn't want his little girl to visit her Uncle Steve until he was awake, but he knew that it was hurting her not being able to visit him.

He had gone over to Rachel's on Wednesday evening straight from the meeting with the Governor. Walking through those wrought iron gates up the paved path he felt the sense of dread which hung over him rapidly escalating. It was a feeling he been living with for the last three days. He rang the door bell. Danny could hear the sound of Rachel's heels trotting across the wooden floors as she quickly came to answer it. "Daniel" She flung open the door, "how are you?" she embraced him in a hug. She didn't need an answer. After being married to the man for so many years she knew he was barely holding on. His eyes had dark purple lines extending from the bridge of his nose almost to his cheek bones. He hadn't slept in days. She could tell there had been a lot of crying, even if he would never admit it.

"I'm okay Rach. I came to talk to Gracie". His fake smile didn't even reach to his eyes. The man was both physically and emotionally exhausted.

"Okay" she stepped outside and closed the heavy wooden door behind her "but tell me first. What is the prognosis".

Danny rubbed the bridge of his nose "well Rach, its not good. In short Steve broke his back, and permanently damaged his spinal cord" he locked eyes with his ex-wife. "When they take him out of the medical coma in the next few days he is going to be permanently paralysed from his hips down". He took a deep breath in trying to keep his voice steady as he spoke about a man he had so much respect, care and love for. "He is going to be a paraplegic". The corner of his lips turned down as he fought away the sadness that welled up inside of him.

"Oh Daniel, I am so sorry. This is terrible" he could tell she truly meant it. "Do you want me with you to tell Grace"?

"No" Danny replied, he cleared his throat, psyching him self up again. "I will be fine". Rachel nodded, she was still shocked by the news, she had seen them all together only a few days ago.

The two walked inside and out to the back lanai where Grace was sitting at a big outdoor dining table doing her homework.

"Danno!" she exclaimed as she saw her father running towards him.

"Monkey!" He scooped her up, hugging her tight, he kissed her forehead.

"How is Uncle Steve? Can I please go and see him? I haven't been able to all week" she looked up at Danny, her big brown eyes filled with concern.

"Well, Monkey, that is what I am here to talk to you about". He pulled up a chair. "Let's sit down", it felt like the time he told her the he and her mother were getting a divorce. Grace must also have been able to sense it as she was suddenly very quiet, he eyes dart around as she grew anxious. Danny took a deep breath in.

"When Steve was hit by the car he got really hurt. He hurt his head and his back. The doctors have put him into a special deep sleep since he came into the hospital for his head to get better, when he wakes up, which will be soon, his head should be just about fixed. But" he took another deep breath "his back isn't going to get better". His little girl was looking up at him with a mixture or surprise and confusion on her face. It was breaking his heart. "It was damaged by what the car did, and um" he cleared his throat the way he did when he was searching for words, "and you see Monkey, your spine in you back is like a big phone cable between your brain and the rest of your body. The way Steve's back is hurt had broken up the phone call between his brain, which tells his body to do things, and his legs". He looked down at his daughter his eyebrows furred and lips tight waiting for her reaction. "Now that the phone connection has been cut off, Steve won't be able to use his legs any more". Grace slowly nodded, it seemed that she understood, her brow creased in the same way her father's did.

"Okay, okay" she replied in a quiet voice, her brow still creased. "But he will be okay, right?"

"Yes Monkey" Danny pulled his little girl into his lap, "it will just be a different kind of okay, and he is going to need lots of love and encouragement from you". Danny picked up one of the drawing which was lying on the table, "and maybe some of this beautiful art to decorate his room, what do you think?". Looking back up at her father, a little smile broke across Grace's face. And for a split second the knot which had been growing in Detective Danny William's chest loosened slightly.

H50H50H50

While it wasn't his weekend with Grace, Rachel had agreed that she would be allowed to visit for a short time on Saturday morning. Danny just prayed that Grace would be okay with it, she had seemed to take the news of what had happened well, however Danny feared that seeing Steve in the ICU with the neck and body brace and all the machines might just make what Danny had told her hit home. God knows it did for him. He was protecting Grace as a way of trying to constrain his own emotions and pain. At least the breathing tube had been removed and sewn closed a day ago and replaced by a normal enough looking nasal cannula. After a week Danny just couldn't stand that raspy, whistling pump noise any longer.

His little girl was quieter than usual as they walked down the hall to the ICU. With one hand she clutched her fathers hand tightly, with the other a collection of drawings she had brought with her. By her silence Danny could sense she was nervous. "Me too, Monkey, me too" he thought to himself. Turning past the nurses station they entered into Steve's room. "CDR MCGARRETT - 2(TWO) SCI TBI" was now written over the door. During the week he had been downgraded to patient two after a young kid had come in from Maui with his head in three pieces after jumping off cliff and missing the ocean.

At the sight of Steve lying in the hospital bed, motionless, trapped in the back brace and collar, tubes and wires coming from all areas, a small gasp escaped Grace's mouth. He eyes were wide as she surveyed the scene in front of her. "Its okay" her father whispered to her, "you can come and sit here and tell Steve what you made for him" he gestured to the arm chair next to the bed. Grace didn't react, she continued to stare at all the machines and wires connected to the man she was surfing with only a six days ago. The man she thought of as her second protector.

Danny walked over to her and wrapped an arm around his shocked and frightened daughter. "He is just fast asleep Monkey, he isn't in any pain. The machines are just there to make sure he is okay". He kissed her softly on the head, "I know it looks scary but he will be awake soon and starting to get better. Uncle Steve might be able to hear you, let him know about the great drawings you brought for him". Danny could feel the tension between the ten year olds shoulder blades. He rubber it gently hating everything about the situation.

With a deep breath in, Grace walked towards the hospital bed and stood next to Steve's right hand. "Uncle Steve, I drew you some pictures for you. I know how you like blue so I did them with lots of different blues" her voice was small and quite "I hope you will wake up soon and start feeling better, I miss not getting to see you all the time, I know that Danno does to". Carefully she opened the roll of paintings and showed them to the unconscious Steve. "Danno says that the phone connection between your head and legs isn't working all that well, I really hope that it gets fixed, if not I will still love you the same".

Standing behind his daughter, Danny was close on tears. This was one time that he really hoped that Steve could hear what was going on. He cleared his throat and checked his watch, "okay Monkey, we had better head off now, the nursed will be coming in soon to check on Steve and look after a few things. Lets stick up your paintings over on this wall and then head off".

Danny helped Grace paste up the painting on the far wall of the room, across from the machines so that when they bring him out of he coma they would be directly in his line of view. At least there would be one nice thing to look at Danny thought ruefully. The long stretch ahead was beginning to sink in.


End file.
